. >> the >> the next 48 hours are crucial in the ongoing fiscal cliff talk because president obama won't consider gop cuts to entitlement programs like medicare and medicaid until republicans agree to raise income taxes on people making $250,000 or more a year. one thing both sides agree on, there's a long way to go for a deal can be reached. >> there were some offers exchanged yesterday. and the president and i have pretty frank conversations about how far apart we are. >> there is no indication the republican leadership is willing to acknowledge the basic fact that rates need to rise on the top 2%. >> lawmakers in washington have less than three weeks to reach a budget deal on the so-called fiscal cliff. if they don't, there are fears automatic tax increases and spending cuts could push the economy back into a recession. >>> bonds will continue to be purchased at a cost of $85 billion a month from the federal reserve. it's a move to keep interests low and unemployment rates even lower until the outlook at the labor market improves sub staeshl -- substantially. >>> john mcafee in florid